Head researcher makes a difference
07/11/2024. By Carmelle Wilkinson.
Curtin’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Lindy Fitzgerald.
From a young age, Lindy Fitzgerald had it instilled in her the importance of doing something that matters.
Curtin’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and John Curtin Distinguished Professor, said while her parents didn’t have the opportunity of a higher education, they were her biggest advocates and always encouraged her to make a difference.
“My mum’s mother passed away when she was just 21 from cancer, and mum was left to take care of her younger siblings,’’ Lindy said.
“Mum would often tell me, if you want to make a difference in life Lindy, find a cure for cancer.”
Lindy said while this idea embedded itself in her, it wasn’t until a few years later that she discovered her passion for research – in particular neuroscience.
“Like all young girls with a sweet tooth, all I wanted to do was own a lolly store when I grew up,’’ she said.
“When I turned 10 and started to play the violin, that changed to wanting to become a professional whistler.
“I’m not even sure if that’s a thing, and when I told my dad, he just looked at me and said I don’t think there are many jobs out there for that.”
Lindy continued to play the violin throughout high school and participated in amateur orchestras, before her attention turned to science.
“I enjoyed science as a subject at school and decided if I was going to find a cure for cancer, I needed to study medicine and become a doctor,’’ she said.
“So, I studied really hard in Year 12, and unfortunately missed out on getting into medicine by just 1.3 marks.”
At the time, Lindy said she was unaware of alternative routes to get into university, or what she needed to study to get her where she needed to go, so assumed that dream was over.
It wasn’t until she was studying for her Bachelor of Science degree, that Lindy realised her majors in biochemistry and microbiology could lead to a career in medical research.
Lindy was always fascinated with research.
“I’ve always loved the journey of discovery,’’ she said.
“You know that feeling when you really get something? and you understand how all the different facets interconnect to get a unified understanding of something?
“Even after all these years, I get a buzz when I look at a piece of data and realise it ties into something we discovered six months or even three years ago.
“I still get goosebumps every time pieces of the puzzle come together.”
As head of research at Curtin, Lindy is responsible for overseeing all elements of research within the university, such as guiding projects, ensuring grant success, collaborating with industry partners and ultimately helping research teams meet their goals.
Steering the university towards academic excellence and innovation is a big task, but for Lindy it’s her greatest joy.
“What I find most fascinating about my role, is every day is different and the portfolio is so diverse,’’ she said.
“I’m constantly learning about new and exciting things that people are doing to make a difference.
“As a researcher, you have a sphere of influence that is confined to that particular area of endeavour, but that has expanded exponentially with all of these different research fields that I can potentially facilitate and help along their path.”
Lindy’s previous roles at Curtin include Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Dean of Research for the Faculty of Health Science and Deputy Director for Curtin’s Health Innovation Research Institute.
Lindy is also currently CEO of Connectivity Traumatic Brain Injury Australia, a role she has held part-time for the past four years and John Curtin Distinguished Professor at Curtin University, affiliated with the Perron Institute.
Following graduation, Lindy worked in several assistant and associate research positions, before taking a break to raise her sons.
“After I had my sons, I took eight years off paid work,” she said.
“While I wanted to return to my career in science, I never thought I’d be able to after such a long time.”
During her hiatus from work, Lindy dabbled in many creative interests, such as painting and photography to keep herself busy – she even wrote a book.
“It’s not very good at all,’’ she laughed.
“I also took an active role in raising our boys, enrolling them into playgroups and found myself the president of the playgroup.”
Thanks to a supportive husband and incredible mentoring by Emerita Professor Sarah Dunlop and Professor Lyn Beazley AO FTSE, Lindy didn’t only return to work, she discovered her prowess and place as a natural leader.
“My husband was very supportive. He and I shared the school runs and household responsibilities which not only made the transition to part time work and then full-time possible, it also helped with the mental load,’’ she said.
“Thanks to Sarah and Lyn, I had the freedom to learn neuroscience on the job and I always say from that moment on, my career really took off.”
Now a senior leader in her field, Lindy has cultured the art of leading with purpose.
Lindy at Curtin’s recent Alumni Sundowner in Singapore.
“True active listening and the ability to self-reflect are important skills for good leadership,’’ she said.
“It’s also important to adapt to situations and to not get too close to an issue.
“I always take a step back and think, okay, how does this look? And how do we progress and move forward from here from a whole university perspective?”
Lindy said it was also important to establish boundaries to ensure a sustainable work/life balance.
“I put boundaries around my time,’’ she said.
“I don’t have email alerts on my phone, and if I want to check my emails on the weekend, I need to make an active decision to open Outlook.”
Lindy said among her greatest career highlights, was knowing she is helping her team make tomorrow better.
“I love our teams can do attitude,’’ she said.
“They are always prepared to think about ways we can adjust how we work and what we do so that we can pivot and make things better.
“In my role I have the wonderful opportunity to work with lots of people across Curtin, who overwhelmingly, like me, just want to make a difference.”
___
